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| Pat Dennis New York Feminist Art Institute Seated left foreground for lecture Instructors & Teaching Contributors at NYFAI in 1979The New York Feminist Art Institute was founded in 1979 as an educational space by women artists for women artists, emphasizing consciousness-raising, personal exploration, and artistic technique rooted in feminist theory and practice. Its teaching faculty and visiting workshop leaders included several influential artists and educators. Wikipedia 🔹 1. Nancy Azara — Founding Instructor
Role: Co-founder and central instructor at NYFAI. Teaching Focus: She developed and led the Visual Diaries: Consciousness-Raising Workshop, a core course that combined introspective art-making with feminist self-awareness. Who She Was: A sculptor and educator deeply involved in the 1970s feminist art movement. Likely Interaction with Dennis: As one of the earliest classes and most prominent workshops, Azara’s teaching would have been a primary influence for students in 1979. NYFAI+1 🔹 2. Miriam Schapiro — Founder & Instructor
Role: Co-founder of NYFAI and an international feminist art leader. Contributions: Schapiro had already co-founded feminist art programs and developed femmage, a technique integrating traditionally female crafts with painting. Likely Teaching Areas: Visual art techniques, feminist art theory, and studio critique with an emphasis on women’s cultural contributions. NYFAI 🔹 3. Other Founders Who Also Taught:These early leaders of the Institute were involved not just in administration but also in shaping class content and mentor roles:
These founders were instrumental in shaping the curriculum and often taught classes or facilitated group sessions throughout the early years of NYFAI. Wikipedia 🖌️ Additional Instructors & Visiting Teachers in the Early 1980s (Likely Linked to 1979–80 Course Offerings)While not all taught in every year, reports from NYFAI archives and program descriptions indicate that these artists and educators taught workshops or special sessions similar to what Dennis might have encountered: 🔹 Barbara Hammer
A pioneering experimental filmmaker who taught video and discussion groups at NYFAI in the early 1980s (and likely shortly after 1979). NYFAI 🔹 Elke Solomon
Provided drawing and material exploration classes — likely offered in the early Institute years, per oral histories. NYFAI 🔹 Linda Hill & Catherine Allen
Mentioned in archival material as facilitators and teachers in drawing and other studio practice workshops. NYFAI 🔹 Visiting workshop leadersNYFAI also brought in notable women artists for weekend or special workshops, including (according to archived historical materials):
👩🎨 Summary: What Dennis Would Have Experienced in 1979If Pat Dennis participated in NYFAI in 1979 — the Institute’s inaugural year — she most likely: ✅ took Visual Diaries: Consciousness-Raising workshops taught by Nancy Azara (the cornerstone course in the curriculum). NYFAI 📌 Key Figures as Teachers at NYFAI (c. 1979)
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